An Outdoor Kitchen

Room For The Grills And Boys

The new kitchen is shaded by a wood and fiberglass pergola. Brick planter walls tie the deck to the house and provide a sense of enclosure.

Bonus Room

The existing deck (above right) was serviceable but small, and the wood decking was looking tired.

The deck was doubled in size and built on two levels to better connect it to the yard. The new owners selected stainless steel fixtures and composite decking for ease of maintenance and longevity.

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A Walled Entry Court

A Court With Appeal

The awkward and uninteresting entrance to the house (above right) was dominated by an overgrown Japanese maple, and an unusually small setback from the street made the front door feel exposed.

To ease this problem a simple but elegant brick wall was built to create a welcoming courtyard that gives a feeling of separation from the activity of the street. A seamless connection between house and courtyard was made by carefully matching the brick of the new wall with the existing brick of the house. The Japanese Maple has been removed and replaced with new plantings with a lighter feel.

An Inviting Entrance

The existing concrete walk and plantings (above right) were a poor fit for the elegance of the house.

In the new plan, a definite sense of arrival is achieved by incorporating an existing light fixture into a handsome new brick pier, and by using different paving materials for the driveway and walkways. The new masonry walls are softened with plantings of small shrubs and perennials to create a mini-oasis.

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Queen's Lake Residence

Curb Appeal

Due to the poorly designed circulation (above right) the view of the house is dominated by cars and the space is not welcoming to visitors on foot.

With a new driveway and bluestone paving, circulation has been clearly defined, creating a welcoming entry. Once established, the plants in the mulched beds will blend with the wooded character of the property.

Welcome Home

The existing garage (above right) awkwardly faces the front yard and requires a large expanse of pavement in front of the sunroom window.

New bluestone paving and a low stone wall create a warm and inviting forecourt and provide an intimate view from inside the house.

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A Restored Plantation Home

A New Master Plan

The new master plan called for the removal of some existing buildings and the addition of extensive gardens. The new areas include the back lawn, sunken garden, vegetable garden, orchards, vineyard, and parking court. The simple yet varied structure of paths and garden rooms is reminiscent of the historic plantation landscapes of tidewater Virginia.

An Overdue Facelift

The original 1760's farmhouse had been added to many times (above right). Dilapidated or inappropriate additions - like the front porch shown here - were removed.

The new landscape plan was simple, in keeping with the geometry of the restored house. Fencing was added to extend the architecture of the house into the gardens.

Elegant Structure

The bedroom wing (above right), a much later addition to the house, was removed to allow views to the surrounding countryside.

With the back yard opened up, a new axis centered on the back entrance becomes the spine of the garden. Plantings around the house are kept minimal to highlight the architecture of the house. Elaborate foundation plantings of later eras aren't in keeping with the eighteenth century house.

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